The vase of nasturtiums 1886

Paul Gauguin painted "The Vase of Nasturtiums" with oil on canvas. The bouquet, bursting with vibrant nasturtiums, sits prominently in a vase that is not alone: there is another vase behind it, slightly to the right. These vessels evoke the ancient symbol of the vessel as a container of life and spirit, a theme that echoes through millennia. Think of the Greek amphorae, adorned with scenes of gods and heroes, or the reliquaries of the medieval era, housing sacred remnants. The vase form itself has become a potent symbol, resonating with our deepest notions of creation, preservation, and the cycles of existence. The nasturtiums themselves, with their fiery hues, might bring to mind the vanitas paintings of the Dutch Golden Age, reminding us of the transient nature of beauty and life. In those works, flowers were symbols of mortality, their vibrant colors destined to fade. Yet, here, Gauguin infuses them with a vitality that feels almost defiant, a celebration of color. The symbolic power of the vase, like the echo of a dream, reverberates through human consciousness, resurfacing in different forms.